LIFEART STUDIO

4/01

(Tuesday morning)

Nick and Shena start walking fast towards the car rental place located near the train station 500 feet away.

On the way there they stumble into Yulia. She is super excited and surprised to see Nick: “Oh my God, Nick - we’ve been looking all over town for you!! You literally just missed out on Claudia and Leo. They are riding up to the Himalayas trek meeting point with hope of finding you there!”

Nick: “Why would she think that? Why would I go up the mountain all by myself to wait for my daughter for a trek that doesn't even start till 4 days from now?”

Yulia: “I don't know, we couldn't find you anywhere and were running out of ideas, it seems like a good idea at the time... Leo suggested it. He said he was going up there anyways and can drop her off.. he knows the area very well, there's a village he frequently visits up there... he will simply drop her off at the meeting point and continue on his way”.

Yulia’s words send chills down Nick and Shena’s necks. This definitely doesn't feel right. They start running towards the car rental.

4/02

Claudia and Leo riding the winding and amazing roads leading up towards the Himalayas, breathtaking views. Several hours into the ride Leo stops at the side of the road and leads Claudia by foot over a high stringed bridge that goes above the almighty Ganges river, which at that area is wide clear blue, fresh mountain waters. The other side of the bridge leads down to the river banks and the sight is of great magnitude. It is a strong spiritual thing - to experience the Ganges at the very feet of the Himalayas. The area is secluded and romantic. 

Leo tells her of this village they'll be passing through the mountains, on their way to the starting point of the trek where her dad is probably waiting for her. He tells of an amazingly beautiful place that not many people know about, or have gotten the opportunity to see. He describes a utopian place, full of beautiful and talented people, and his eyes seem to really shine with enthusiasm and immense excitement. It is clear to Claudia that this place is important to him, and it also sounds like an amazing out of this world thing to experience. 

She tells Leo she’d be more than happy to make a quick stop with him at that village, and the way he got when talking about it made her even more attracted to him than ever. Claudia nears for a kiss, and the two continue to make passionate love on the banks of the river.

4/03

Stressed Nick and Shena are making their way up the mountains in a small old car, which was the best they could find at the rentals for immediate use. Nick is driving as fast as he can (the car rides like shit, and the roads are at times very bumpy, narrow and dangerous), and Shena is busy making calls trying to reach some of her local connections while occasionally screaming in fear due to the fast drive and scary road conditions. “Seriously - do you drive into every bump on the road on purpose?!”

Shena is being bossy and it rubs off wrongly on Nick. He insults her: “truthfully, now I understand why your husband divorced you”. 

This sparks Shena on a talking spree about “weak men, that can’t stand a strong partner with an opinion. Just like you and your wife, and my weasel of an ex husband! What kind of a shallow life is that with a person you so called love?!” 

At the heat of the argument Nick bumps into an army jeep.

4/04

An army officer gets out of the jeep, calls Nick out. “What is this driving, are you drunk?!”. Nick is being impatient, the situation escalates. Shena steps out of the car trying to get Nick to relax before this gets complicated. The officer adjectaed from Shena getting involved, wants to search Nick. Nick is being resentful. Shena - nervous - speaks quietly to Nick about staying quiet, keeping low. Nick doesn't listen and continues arguing.

The officer searches Nick who reluctantly allows it with a sour face, and finds a small ball of Hash (which he got from the group he smoked a Chillum with in Rishikesh) in his pocket. Shena rolls her eyes in disbelief - this is getting worse by the minute.

Nick, surprised to see this (completely forgot about the Hash in his pocket) dismisses the whole thing, argues with the officer, takes the hash from the office’s hand and throws the hash ball down to Ganges. 

This gets the officer steaming mad, he calls his soldier friends out of the jeep.

4/05

Situation now on higher gear. The soldiers, loud,  tell Nick they’ll take him in, and start searching the car. With that Shena is really mad, and Nick is like a little kid that got caught in a series of lies. 

4/06

Shena changes gears, and talks authoritatively with the officer: “who is your commander? What platoon are you? I’ll make a few calls and you’ll find yourself out of a job by tomorrow morning”. 

Nick - skeptic at first, but impressed with every second going by. The soldiers quickly disengage - like little kids shouted at by their aunt. They let them go.

4/07

[The narrow road leading from Rishikesh up to the Himalayas has been used for thousands of years as the main road connecting India and China. Today it is used by trucks, buses, cars and motorbikes, and the method is to open only one sided traffic in certain areas, release some of the cars, then block the other way and release the oncoming traffic. And so - a typical ride that should take 5 hours, could easily end up taking 10 hours if the road is particularly busy that day. 

On a motorbike this is not a real problem, cause you simply cut the traffic jam and are the first to ride onwards to an open road as soon as your side of the traffic is released to go. Cars however cannot pass each other on the narrow road, and have to sit out the traffic jam in slow moving agony.]

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Nick and Shena drive on in tense silent. They arrive at one such traffic stop (Tuesday afternoon). A local traffic guy is stopping the traffic on this side, and on the other side, the traffic is released, and starts to advance forward. There are 2 buses ahead of them, and a long line of cars quickly forms behind them. 

People from the busses and cars purr out of the vehicles, taking a cigarette break, on the road side overlooking the Ganges running just below. This could take a good 20 minutes to open. Monkeys come down the mountain hills in growing numbers. Some just sit curiously, while others playfully interact with various drivers. 

Nick is adjectaed. Can’t stand the hold up. A motorcycle carrying a man and women riders, slowly crawls up the side of the traffic line, passing the cars. They ride right next to Nick’s window. He looks at the motorcycle, complaining (to himself) that he wishes they’d had one. 

All of the sudden it dawns upon him that he’s seeing Claudia on the back of the motorcycle. It’s her backpack, same hair, holly shit that’s the same motorbike from the CC footage! Nick frantically gets out of the car and starts running. Shena not sure what's all the fuss about gets out running behind him - “what’s wrong? Nick - what’s wrong??!”

Nick runs quietly at first, thinking he’s going to catch up on them. But upon hearing Shena’s shouts from behind, it seems like the motorcycle driver starts going faster. Nick starts running faster: “Claudia”!! “Claudia!!!”’ Claudia can’t hear and the motorcycle hurries towards the roadblock, cuts the traffic navigator, and rides against the traffic towards the next leg of the open road. 

Nick frantically runs, but no use. The bike is already out of site, no chance to go after them on foot. Frustrated he turns around, trying to make the impossible and move cars out of his way, with no luck at all. People are just looking at this screaming man funny. 

Nick falls to the ground screaming with anger. He almost had her, but missed out again. 

4/08

Leo and Claudia continue the ride up the mountain, and the roads become more and more rugged. They reach a beautiful point overlooking Rishikesh and enjoy the most mesmerizing sunset. 

Leo explains that they’re almost half way through to their destination, but that riding at night is impossible. This would be a good place to camp for the night if it's ok with her. Claudia is happy for a romantic night with Leo.

4/09

(Tuesday evening)

Nick and Shena back in the car riding up the mountain in tense silence. They haven't made enough progress up the mountains and Shella suggests they take a short detour towards the cabin of an old friend of hers that lives nearby, before it gets too dark. He can shelter them for the night and share valuable information about the area and best ways to get to the mountain top fast. 

They make it to Sanjee’s cabin. It is located at a remote and isolated location with nothing else around and only one access road. It is clear this cabin was built specifically there as a safety measure against attacks. (Think Michale Kane in Alfonzo Cuaron’s Children of Men)

4/10

Upon walking into the Cabin Sanjee and Shena embrace in a long and meaningful hug. We learn that 70 year old Sanjee has been a close friend of the family and a mentor to Shena during her early years at the force when he was the captain of the police special forces. They have a father / daughter type relationship, and Sanjee is very protective of Shena. Sensing that Nick is important to her, Sanjee plays a tough game with him.

After a quick small talk for old times sake, Shena briefs Sanjee about the situation, and with every word she says his face grows darker. After contemplating what to say next for a long minute, Sanjee starts to talk.

“I know this type of small time crooks coming up this way during the summer. They are going to Spiti Valley, dropping off and picking up stuff with the villagers over there. Not just drugs. Other stuff, and people. “

Nick and Shena are both listening with great attention, trying to make sense of what he is saying - what does he mean by stuff and people?

Sanjee continuous. It has long been rumoured that in that valley live pure Aryan blooded people, and that female members of their cult have been pilgraming to the village for centuries. 

Nick and Shena are both confused. Pure blooded Aryan cult? In the Himalayas? What are you talking about?

Sanjee continus without paying any attention to them: “And your daughter is German isn’t she?” 

Sanjee teases Nick suggesting Claudia might have gone to the Aryan village on purpose - following her German roots.

Nick goes berserk when he hears this and almost hits the old man. “My Claudia is NOT this kind of girl, and has NOTHING to do with any national extreme groups or Nazi cults! Why come to the end of the world for something like this anyways? This makes no sense!”

Sanjee shoots back: “They come to get impregnated by the purest blooded Aryans one can find and when they do they go back home.” 

Nick wraps his head between his hands.

[Next scene we hear Sanjee’s voice explaining the next paragraph, over these images: Leo and Claudia settle down in a small cave on the side of the mountain. Leo makes a bonfire, cooks something for them, they drink some wine, cuttle, and eventually make passionate love.]

Sanjee: “How well do you think you know your daughter Nick? Are you really close? Cause I’ve seen many girls just like her come and go willingly over the years. Never once heard of someone taken there against her will…. “

4/11

[visuals now back to Sanjee’s cabin]

This throws Nick completely out of balance and the two men almost get in a fist fight, forcing Shena to take control over the situation pushing both of them back to their seats screaming SHUT UP!

Both men like wounded animals at each side of the small table, and Shena between them: “we don’t have a lot of time if Claudia is in danger. It doesn't matter if she thought she was going there willingly because she was brainwashed, or if she got tricked into it. We’re not leaving her there anyway so you guys better get your shit together fast, and let's figure out what can be done.”

Both men see her reason and quiet down. 

Shena: “how is anything like that even possible. Why haven't i ever heard of this from you, or anyone? I was the very front of the task force when it came to women and human trafficking!”

Sanjee explains that 30 years back, he was heading an intel collection operation to investigate these very rumors. They managed to infiltrate the village but could not find any actual trace of wrongdoing. There was one person in the village that was speaking openly about the rumors, and the guy mysteriously disappeared soon after. Some days later the government issued an order to stop ‘digging’ there. “I’m guessing we got too close to finding out the truth and it scared someone high up in government. “

A formal statement was later published by the government about the so-called Pregnancy Tourism and Aryan village are all pure fictional stories. The inhabitants of the Spiti Valley village seem to be descendants of Alexander the Great, and they mistakenly consider themselves as Pure Aryans.

“This all seems like a great big Nazi cover up story to me, but I’ve never managed to get any proof of wrongdoing”, Sanjee continues, “It’s been a while, however I do know exactly how to get there through the shortest route possible, and can help gear you up for the journey there. You should leave at first light tomorrow morning.”

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​Nick and Shena both look at each other with determination.

4/12

(Tuesday night)

Nick and Shena in the back of Sanjee’s cabin. Chai tea heating up on a small bonfire, and mesmerizing skys full of stars. Shena tells him about why she got kicked out of the force: She couldn’t save her nephew who fell into prostitiution, became obsessed with trying to save women, and stepped on too many toes. And now here she is again…

Nick is at awe with the dedication she has for the cause, and at the fact that she’s doing so much to help him. 

Shena dismisses the effort - I’m not doing this for you, nor for Claudia - “this is simply my calling”. In her eyes we see that is not entirely true, but Nick is subconsciously hurt by that answer nevertheless.

4/13

(Wednesday, dawn)

Claudia, lying asleep on a wool blanket, her head resting on her backpack. The bonfire is all but gone, Leo is not there. Some unclear crackling sounds from behind her are being heard. Suddenly a small black scorpion comes out through a crack in the rock. Then another one, and another. Soon the cave seems to be crawling with them, and they’re all advancing towards Claudia. The first few ones are climbing on her backpack, then on her hair. She feels something in her sleep, and moves her hand through some of her hair dangerously close to the scorpion’s sting. Two of them on her hair now. Still mostly sleeping, she’s about to move her hand over her head again, and just as she does so, and the two scorpions get ready to sting the approaching hand, Peter’s hand grabs her wrist strongly, simultaneously waking her up and whispering: “don't move!”. 

Claudia, puzzled: “what?” and as she says that she notices she’s lying in a cave crawling with scorpions. She starts screaming and freaking out just as Leo skillfully picks her up and away from the cave. One more frantic moment of freaking out, and Claudia relaxes into uncontrolled laughter. This was a truly scary moment slowly turning funny. Leo starts laughing uncontrollably too.

“My hero!” Claudia jokes with Leo, and jumps on him with a hug kissing him passionately. The two seem to really vibe, and we see Leo really opening up with every passing hour he spends with Claudia. They laugh it out and start getting ready for today’s ride. Leo: “We still have a long way ahead of us”.

4/14

At Sanjee’s cabin the action is on: he gives them maps and instructions as to the best way to get to the village, a radio communication device ; packs their bags with enough food for a couple of days ; opens a secret wall to reveal a ridiculous amount of firearms - Shena picks several hand guns and explosives, which she handles with professionalism. Nick on the other hand barely knows who to look at these weapons.

Lastly Sanjee takes them out to the back of the cabin and opens a garage door revealing a well preserved 4 wheel mountain bike. With that they’d be able to get though most of the distance to the village in no time. Shena and Nick look at each other with some satisfaction. Although they are only two, and the task laying ahead of them is largely unclear, their chances of potential success just improved greatly.

Nick then notices a big old something under a torn tart in the back. He lifts the tart for a better look and discovers an old Helicopter, standing all dusty and semi broken right there in the cabin.

Shena is quick to explain that in the past Sanjee was a great pilot, “But I didn’t know you kept the helicopter?!” as she turns to Sanjee. It turns out after his retirement he’s used this copter to take his then dying wife to her cancer treatments in a health center located somewhere too far to drive to. Since her death it has not been in use, and Sanjee has not left the Cabin much at all.

Sanjee: “There will be no flying today either, so you guys better get going with what you’ve got!”

4/15

Nick and Shena frantically ride through the vast open terrain leading towards the mountain tops. This is nature at its all mighty, beautiful and never ending.

4/16

Leo and Claudia are riding in similar settings, just with a little less haste. Leo seems to know the way by heart, although all the mountain paths look the same to Claudia. At times they get off the bike, and walk it through improvised bridges. At other times they go through side tunnels on side mountains that are barely visible to the eye. Claudia is impressed by Leo’s navigational skills, and wonders how the hell do people know how to make it up this way. Leo smiles: “As I said, it’s a special and rare place where we’re going.”

4/17

(Wednesday afternoon)

Nick and Shena ride the 4 wheeler bike, encountering obstacles along the way: roads temporarily blocked by a fallen wood log or rocks and wrong map instructions (due to outdated information) leading them to dead ends. As they start ascending towards the next hill tops, the mountain sides slowly get iceyer. 

They finally reach a wide rocky stream, with a beautiful set of small waterfalls of fresh freezing water coming off the Himalayas on their way to the Ganges. No logical way to go around it with the bike without wasting a full day. They make a decision to leave the bike, and continue by foot up the beautiful stream.

4/18

(Wednesday, sunset)

After a long dangerous ride in harsher and harsher terrains skilfully navigated by Leo, they finally arrive at sundown. A rundown hand painted sign reads “Spiti Valley” in English and Hindu, and a stack of large colorful rocks beside it mark the entrance to the Valley.

The site is surriel - in the heart of a harsh and naked terrain lies a green Valley. In and around it are groups of small plain houses that seem to be inhabited by farmer-like families. 

They ride slowly and more calmly now, and as they advance through the village Claudia catches a glimpse of some of the locals peeking at them from their simple homes. She feels there is something strange about their faces. They are fair skinned, have skinny noses and very light blue and green eyes. Definitely not the look you’d expect to see in locals of this region.

As she tries to make sense of these thoughts of hers, an apocalyptic site dawns upon her. Straight ahead, between two natural mountain side rocks, a huge wooden gate is opening, revealing behind it what seems to be a modern European village, complete with lights and sounds that seem to be coming for a different part of the world altogether. 

Leo keeps riding slowly towards the opening in the massive secret gate, which seems to be magically opening just for him. Claudia is at a complete loss of words, and at awe at the sight revealing before her.

4/19

Nick and Shena trekking on foot, up a mountain top. They’ve been at it since dawn today, and are tired and hungry. They sit down behind a big rock, for a rest and a bite. 

Nick seems to be lost in thoughts, Shena - sensing she might have been a bit harsh with him yesterday, ttries to cheer him up. She gets close, for a touch or a hug, but Nick moves back. He’s not letting her in, which in turn insults her, putting back all her inner defensive walls she might have lowered over the past few days with Nick.

All of the sudden loud voices from somewhere behind them. Both jump back in fear, then realize it's coming from somewhere behind the big rock. They peak and see a group of villagers walking and talking loudly. They’ve reached the village!

4/20

Leo and Claudia are now completely inside the hidden village. The gate doesn’t seem to have anyone guarding it, and Leo seems to know the place and its people very well.

aClaudia is mesmerized by the sites around her. The village is somewhat modern and European by design. There are young, tall, blond and blue eyed people, just like her, all over the village. Most women are very young, and a great number of them seem to be pregnant.

They get off the bike, and start walking towards the village center. The vibe is strange. People are not staring at them, but also don’t seem to really be talking amongst themselves either.

A young tall male approaches them, greeting Leo hello by his name and asking the both of them to join a celebratory dinner party taking place at the village center later tonight. Leo is surprised, asking the guy what the celebration is all about, and the guy does not know to explain, only to say that Peter asked for their presence.

Leo turns to Claudia with some embarrassment, “this wasn’t really planned and I don’t want to delay you from reaching your dad… it's ok we can skip this dinner and get out of here, it's just that Peter is…”

Claudia stops him in the middle of the sentence - “this place is amazing, and I’m happy to stay here with you for a bit longer... We can even go towards the meeting point with my dad tomorrow if they’ll let us stay here for the night - it doesn't make any sense to go now in the dark”. 

Leo is relieved and thanks her with a big warm embrace. Claudia melts in his arms.

4/21

Nick and Shena follow the villagers quietly from behind. After a short walk in the dark a village starts revealing in the forefront. It's too dark to clearly see. Nick and Shena whisper between them as to their next move. They crouch down, and Shena starts drawing a plan on the sandy ground: “Here’s the village - you’ll go from here, and I from here…”. They agree on the plan and stand up, only to see they are surrounded by no less than 5 scary villagers, with drawn machetas.

The villagers are all stressed, waving their machetas and shouting all at once. Nick and Shena frantically shouting back - trying to keep this from escalating. We now see the village they’ve arrived in. It is NOT Spiti Valley.